Improved machine for pressing bricks



/VILLIAM H. VALRATI, 0F CHITTENANGO, NEYV YORK.

IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PRESSING BRICKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5S,700, dated October 9, 1866.

.To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WALRATH, of Ohittenango, in the county of Madison and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brick-Makin g Machinery; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one side of the machine. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the front of the same, with the drivin g-shaft and its bearin gs removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on that class ot' brick-making ma chines wherein a revolving table having the molds formed in it is arranged directly beneath a pug-mill in 'such manner that the clay is forced into the molds or brick-cells as they successively pass beneath the puglmill, after which the bricks are thrown out of their cells upon the top of the revolving table and then removed.

The main object of my invention is to provide a simple mode of carrying off the bricks from the surface of a horizontal table, so that they shall be delivered at one side of such table upon a stationary shelf without liability of iniury to the bricks, as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of my invention is to provide for pressing bricks when they are conined'in cells that are formed beneath the surface of a horizontal revolving table without liability of tilting or straining such table, and to retain the bricks under pressure until the proper time arrives for delivering them upon a stationary shelf, when the pressure is relieved and the bricks elevated out of their cells, as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of my invention is to provide for adjusting the rail-track which is used for elevating the followers that discharge the bricks from their cells in the revolving table, for the purpose of compensating for any wear of this track or other parts of the machine, and thereby always causing` the top surfaces of the followers to rise to the plane of the surface of their table, as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of my invention is to communicate motion to the stirrers of the pugmill, the revolving mold-table, and also to a device for delivering the bricks upon a stationary shelf through the medium of a driving-shaft, which operates directly upon said table, substantially as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, l will describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represen ts the foundation-frame for sustaining the brick-making machinery. B is the circular box of a pugmill, in which the clay in its natural state is put. Within this box is a vertical central shaft, carrying stirring-arms a a and radial feathered blades a a', for stirring, mixing, and pulverizin g the clay and forcing it downward into cells, in which it is molded into bricks. This pug-mill B is elevated above the frarneA a suitable distance, and supported upon pillars, through which bolts pass that conne the mill down firmly upon said frame.

G represents a circular revolvin g table, which is constructed with a number of molds or cells in it, all of which are in lines radiating from its center, as shown in Fig. 1. This table is arranged so that,'as it rotates, the cells will successively pass beneath the pug-mill and be filled with clay therefrom. The table C is applied to a vertical shaft, C', which is stepped in a bearing-box on frame A, and supported in its vertical position by means of a bracket, b, that is secured to the pug-mill box B near its upper end. On the upper end of the vertical shaft C a spur-wheel, b1, is keyed, which communieates a rapid rotary motion to the pugmill shaft through the medium of wheels b2 b3, when the moldtable C is rotated, as will be hereinafter described.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. l that the mold-table C only forms a portion of the bottom of the pug-mill, the other portion of this bottom being stationary.

In putting up the machine, care must be observed not to allow so much space between the overhangin g bottom edge of the png-mill box and the table C as will admit of the escape of clay during the ope-ration of the machine.

Beneath the circular inoldtable C, and con# centric with its axis, is a circular track, E, a portion of which is dat, and portions inclined and elevated. The dat portion or portions are in planes parallel to the top surface of said table, and the elevated portion is elevated above that portion which is beneath the pugniill a distance equal to theA thickness of the bricks to be made. The object of this track is to support the followers F, which are arranged in the brick-cells of table C, and to elevate these followers at proper times for pressing and delivering the bricks. Each follower consists of a rectangular platewhose surface is parallel to that ofthe table C exactly, and whose area is such as to cause it to lit snugly, but not too tightly, in its mold or cell. From the center of the bottom of each followerplate a stein projects, carrying on its lower end a small wheel, (l, that rolls upon the track E and obvia-tes sliding friction. The length of the follower-stems should be such that when the followers are brought over the highest por* tion of the track E, the top surfaces of the plates should be exactly level with the top surface of the table G,thereby thrusting thebricks entirely out of their cells at the termination of the ascending strokes of said followers 5 and if, in consequence of a wearing away of the track E or the peripheries of the wheels d, or fromr any other cause, the followers should fail to rise as high as .is required, then, by means of the vertical screw-pillar c, the track can be set up and the parts adjusted to their original position. lf the top surfaces of the followers should fail to rise to a level with the table C for the above-mentioned reasons, the bricks would be injured in sweeping them from the table; hence the importance in making provision for adjusting the track and keeping 'it at the proper height.

The followers, being allowed to have a free vertical movement in their cells, are moved upon their track E around the axis of the moldtablc by this table, and as they are brought around beneath the piig-mill, they move upon the lowest portion of the track, and allow a sufficient quantity of clay to be forced into the cells or molds of which they form the bottoms. As the table C still continues to move, the filled cells are brought beneath an overhanging plate, G, and simultaneously therewith are forced upward by a rise of the track E, as shown in Fig. 2, thus compressing the cla-y between tlie fixed plate G and followers.

Before the cells are exposed beyond the ed ge of plate G the followers are moved for a short distance over a portion, f, of the track E, which is parallel with the top surface of the mold-table C, and consequently they cease to i elevate the bricks 5 but as soon as the top surfaces of the cells are fully exposed, the followers begin to rise and to force the bricks .out of their cells. rlhe followers are brought over the highest point of the track E just before the cells reach the edge of `a stationary shell", H, so that the bricks are swept upon this shelf by the revolving blades gg. (Shown in Figs. l, 2, land 3.)

After delivering the bricks the followers again descend upon the track, and are moved around beneath the pug-mill, to have their rcspective cells again filled with clay. y

The plate G is made of a segment form, and fits snugly upon the top surface of the table C, so as to cover two or more of the cells and prevent the clay from beingforced out between the inipingin g surfaces. This plate is held down firmly in its place, so as to resist the up ward pressure which is brought against it, by means of strong ribbed brackets J J, which are bolted down firmly to the frame A, as shown in the drawings. rlllie plate G is also secured to the pug-mill box at one end, and again connected thereto by the inclined strut or brace J.

The revolving blades g g are secured to arms projecting from a horizontal shaft, g', which is supported in a bearing in a standard, K, that is mounted upon the frame A. 0n the outer end .of shaft y a pulley, 7L, is secured, which receives motion from a small pulley, h', on the driving-shaft L by means of the belt z'. The driving-shaft L is mounted upon standards N in a horizontal plane, and receives its motion from any suitable prime motor, whichmotion is transmitted to the circular table C by means of a spur-wheel, k, which is keyed on shaft L, and which engages with teeth ou the lower edge of the said table.

The shelf or trough H, upon which thebricks are delivered from the followersE by the revolvin g blades g, is secured to the standard K,

`and extends off from the outer edge of the table C, so that the bricks can be readily removed from it by hand or by means of an endless belt. The bottom of the table H, or shelf, should be made very thin, and its receivingedge should be tapered so as to lie close to the top surface of the mold-table, and receive the bricks without injuring their edges.

It will be seen from the above description that after the bricks are pressed beneath a stationary plate, G, they are forced out of their cells and supported upon their respective fol lower-heads until they are delivered upon a stationary table, H. This obviates the necessity of employing devices, in conjunction with the followers, for tilting the bricks upon the surface of the mold-table before they can be removed.

It will also be seen that I employ a horizontal drivingshaft, with a pinion on this shaft, which engages with a circular rack on the bottom of the mold-table, thus obviating the use of a vertical driving-shaft, and greatly simplifying the machine.

Having described my invention, whatlclaini as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The arrangement of a stationary table, H, upon the upper surface ofthe revolving mold-table C, in combinationwith revolving blades g, which are so arranged as to sweep the bricks from the followers F upon said sta tionary table, substantially as described.

2. ln combination with the pug-mill B and revolvin g mold-table G, the upwardmoving followers F and a plate, G, which is sustained by means of the brackets J J, bolted upon the frame A, so that the resistance to the upward pressure of the followers will be sustained by said plate, brackets, and frame, substantially as described.

3. Providing for adjusting the elevated portion of the track E at the point where the made bricks are discharged from the mold by means substantially as described.

4. Communicating motion tO the mold-table directly from a horizontal drivin g-shaft, L, in combination with the shaft C and spur-wheels WM. H. VVALRATH.

Witnesses:

C. E. DAVENPORT, J. G. THOMPSON. 

